Our Time Blast From The Past #2

Here is an Our Time classic.  This photo was taken during Our Time's first performance in 2002.  Original company members Corom and Donny (then 13 and 12) are now both in college and doing great.

Are there any original Our Time audience members out there who remember seeing this show?  If so, what do you remember from that weekend in June, 2002?

Check out Our Time on StutterTalk.com

Our dear friends Peter & Eric (from StutterTalk.com) attended our show this past Saturday and recored an awesome, in-depth podcast here.

Be sure to check it out to hear behind the scenes fun and great interviews with Musical Director Everett Bradley, Tom, Danielle, and others.

We hope you enjoy these great photos by the amazing Liz Rubincam. These were all taken this past Saturday night at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Congratulations once again to Danielle, Tom, and Edward for writing and directing three fantastic plays!

Tom, Edward, & Danielle during the Q&A

Photos from A Playlist Worth A Thousand Words written & directed by Danielle Diesu (starring Marianne Hagan, Armando Riesco, Pancho Gutstein, Kristine Stolakis, Tim Short, Victoria Perlman, Laurel Steinhauser, Ryan Millager, Emily Whyte, Meg Hart, Jonathan Greig, Keith Russell, and Andre Gillyard)

Photos from Cherish Every Moment written & directed by Tom King (starring Jace Alexander, Joel Higgins, Maddie Corman, Taro Alexander, and Joseph Popovich, Jr.)

Photos from Mendacity written & directed by Edward Mawere (starring Keira Naughton, Emily Whyte, Carl Danielsen, Ryan Millager, and Noah Cornman)

gettin' hype before the last show

Jackson & his pop

The Our Time Questions with Doug Filomena

Periodically, we will interview members of the Our Time and Camp Our Time family (company members, alumni, honorees, participating artists, the board, volunteers, staff, donors, parents, campers, counselors, etc.) by asking them the same 20 questions. Which will now be known as THE OUR TIME QUESTIONS.

Our third interview is with Doug Filomena. Doug has been Our Time's Lighting Designer for years and is an all around awesome person. Doug is also a person who stutters. Last week, Doug created beautiful light for our one-act plays at the Cherry Lane Theatre. My favorite quote from Doug last week was, "Let the process come to you." Thanks for all that you do Doug!

1. Favorite Food: grilled sardines

2. Favorite thing about Our Time: Taro’s and the Kid’s energy

3. Favorite place I’ve been: Rome, Italy

4. Place I’ve always wanted to go: back to Rome

5. Favorite Movie: Style Wars

6. If you were trapped on an island for three years, and you could only listen to one recording artist, who would it be: Fela Kuti

7. Mac or PC: MAC

8. Chocolate or Vanilla: chocolate

9. Cats or Dogs: cats

10. Favorite Our Time moment: Seeing Ned’s play performed last year

11. What do you want to be when you grow up: an archaeologist, like Indiana Jones

12. Who would play you in a movie: John Cusack

13. Favorite Book: The Wind Up Bird Chronicles

14. Favorite sports team: Pittsburgh Steelers/New York Mets

15. What advice do you have for people who stutter: Just keep going. Think of yourself as being perfectly normal, because you are.

16. What advice do you have for people who don’t stutter: don’t ask me if I am OK.

17. Favorite TV Show: Shark Week

18. Favorite Play or Musical: Fences by August Wilson

19. If you were President, what would your first official act be: Universal Healthcare

20. Where do you see Our Time in 10 years: still working and doing its thing, but with a much, much bigger family and a lot more love to go around.

What a Weekend!

The cast of Mendacity, written & directed by Edward: (from l-r) Noah Cornman, Emily Whyte, Edward, Keira Naughton, and Carl Danielsen

The one and only Keira Naughton

Wow! What a weekend it was for Our Time! We just completed three successful performances of One-Act Plays at the beautiful Cherry Lane Theatre, written and directed by three teens who stutter: Danielle, Tom, and Edward. It was a spectacular weekend of art, theater, courage, music, celebration, and love. A huge congratulations to our three writer/directors and an enormous THANK YOU to everyone involved in the production, we could not have done it without ya!

And of course, THANK YOU A MILLION TIMES to everyone who attended the shows. It was wonderful to perform to three packed houses.

We hope you enjoy the fun photos above from the amazing and ever-talented Our Time volunteer Ryan Millager.

Please check back soon for more cool posts about the One-Acts.

PS - What was your favorite moment from this past weekend?

An Invitation from One-Act Writer/Directors

Three One-Act Plays

A Playlist Worth A Thousand Words
Written & Directed by Danielle Diesu

Cherish Every Moment
Written & Directed by Tom King

Mendacity
Written & Directed by Edward Mawere

Performances are on Friday, December 12 (8pm) and Saturday, December 13 (2pm & 8pm) at the Cherry Lane Theatre (38 Commerce St., NYC)

Tickets are $12. Please call (212) 414-9696 for more information. We hope to see you there!

Opening Night, a short letter from Taro

Dear readers,

I have been a professional actor in New York City since 1991. I have had the pleasure of performing on many Opening Nights of a show. It is always an exciting, scary, nerve-wracking, pressure-filled, heart-pounding, and (usually) triumphant experience.

As the Founder and Artistic Director of Our Time, I have had the complete joy of witnessing and taking part in 15 Our Time Opening Nights in New York City since 2001. It is hard to describe the feelings on the morning of an Our Time Opening Night. My stomach is tied into a great big knot, I am exhausted from the 12 hour plus days at the theater, my mind is racing with a million things that still need to get done that day ... but the most prominent feeling is one of deep pride and little kid excitement!!!

Tonight, will mark our 16th Opening Night show in New York City. I woke up very early and I felt like it was Christmas morning! Tonight, Our Time is presenting three original one-act plays written and directed by three teen members of Our Time: Danielle, Tom, and Edward. Their fantastic new work will be performed by an accomplished group of professional actors who are all volunteering their time for this project. The show will be at the beautiful and historic Cherry Lane Theatre in the West Village of Manhattan. I honestly wish everyone in the world could be there tonight. I wish everyone could come and support these three young, amazing, talented, brave, smart, articulate, caring, passionate, and dedicated young artists.

Danielle, Tom, and Edward have come a very long way during this program. Last night, after our dress rehearsal at the theater, they sat on stage and gave notes to all the actors, designers, and crew. They were on stage speaking to a theater filled with professional artists, speaking clearly, calmly, smoothly, while stuttering quite well. They were brimming with a confidence that felt new, strong, and powerful. They were coming into their own and it was beautiful.

If you live in or near New York City and you are free tonight at 8pm (or tomorrow at 2pm or 8pm) come on down to the Cherry Lane Theatre on 38 Commerce Street and be a part of the Our Time magic. If you can't make it, no worries. We'll be sure to tell you all about the shows next week.

Thank you for your ongoing support and I hope to see you this weekend!

Taro

PS - What Opening Night stories do you have?

Our Time Blast From The Past #1

Every now and then, we will post an oldie but goodie Our Time photo. Here are two shots of Dashawn, taken in July of 2006 in Dublin, Ireland. We went there to perform at the International Fluency Association's World Congress. It was an amazing trip and one that we will never forget. We look forward to more international travel in the future.

The Our Time Questions with Peter Reitzes

Periodically, we will interview members of the Our Time and Camp Our Time family (company members, alumni, honorees, participating artists, the board, volunteers, staff, donors, parents, campers, counselors, etc.) by asking them the same 20 questions. Which will now be known as THE OUR TIME QUESTIONS.

Our second interview is with Peter Reitzes. Peter is a long-time Our Time supporter, a speech language pathologist, an Adjunct Professor at Long Island University, the Co-host of StutterTalk.com podcast, the Co-editor of The Journal of Stuttering Therapy, Advocacy and Research (JournalofStuttering.com), and a person who stutters.

1. Favorite Food: Anything but olives! I love Mexican food (tamales, tortas, etc.)

2. Favorite thing about Our Time: I get to meet and appreciate so many cool and talented people who stutter.

3. Favorite place I’ve been: Israel

4. Place I’ve always wanted to go: Outer space (no joke, I want to be the first stutterer in orbit).

5. Favorite Movie: Star Wars

6. If you were trapped on an island for three years, and you could only listen to one recording artist, who would it be: The Hold Steady

7. Mac or PC: What’s a Mac?

8. Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla with peanut butter cups and M & Ms.

9. Cats or Dogs: Both. Seriously, I could love a squirrel, no joke.

10. Favorite Our Time moment: Years ago, seeing the Our Time band respond to an actor’s stuttering by holding the music for a bar or two and staying with the actor through the block. When the actor finished the stutter, the band played on.

11. What do you want to be when you grow up: A good father.

12. Who would play you in a movie: A good looking bald dude. Is Harrison Ford bald yet?

13. Favorite Book: Our Band Could Be Your Life by Michael Azerrad

14. Favorite sports team: The Philadelphia Eagles

15. What advice do you have for people who stutter: Stuttering is allowed.

16. What advice do you have for people who don’t stutter: Support Our Time! And, it’s good to talk about stuttering with your friends and children. Even if that makes us stuttering folks uncomfortable sometimes, it shows us that when we are ready, you are there.

17. Favorite TV Show: Battlestar Galactica (not the old series, the new one)

18. Favorite Play or Musical: Our Time shows.

19. If you were President, what would your first official act be: I would try and appoint an equal number of people from both political parties, men and women alike. I want to live in a non-partisan country in which we look for common ground.

20. Where do you see Our Time in 10 years: I see Our Time changing lives and making this a better world for people who stutter, our families and friends. Our Time is like pizza, it is always good.

This Holiday Season I Hope

This past Saturday, the Our Time kids wrote the following at the top of a blank sheet of paper in their journal, "This holiday season I hope ..."

What followed was amazing, beautiful, funny, insightful, and fun! After each kid wrote what they hoped for in their journal we came back together as a group. Each kid was given three options:

1. not to share what they had written with anyone
2. read out loud (or have someone read out loud) what they had written to the group
3. read out loud (or have someone read out loud) what they had written to our Flip video camera for a possible post on the Our Time Blog.

How many of you would think that a group of young people who stutter (kids who often do not raise their hands in class for fear of being laughed at) would overwhelmingly choose to read what they wrote themselves straight to the camera? Well, most of the Our Time kids did. And they were very excited about sharing what their hopes are with all of you.

We hope you enjoy these three short clips of Adam, Joseph, and Tyler (who chose to have Ryan, an Our Time volunteer, read his hopes as Tyler danced around the room.)

PS - What do you hope for this holiday season? Post a comment to this post and let us know.

The Perfect Holiday Gift!

Still Looking for the Perfect Holiday Gift?

&

Want to Support an Important Organization in the Spirit of Charity?

We have the perfect solution!!!

Donate to Our Time in honor of a friend, colleague, or loved one, and we will send a beautiful (secular) holiday card notifying them of your generous gift on their behalf.

With each donation (100% tax deductible), you are not only giving a thoughtful gift to one person, but to all of the kids who benefit from Our Time's programming.

Our Time is a non-profit organization that provides an artistic home to youth who stutter, promoting confidence and self-acceptance in all of its participants.

Click here for simple instructions on how to donate as a holiday gift! Or for more information, please call (212) 414-9696.

Happy Holidays from all of us at Our Time!

Cover of Holiday Card
(this photo is of the Our Time company at Jon Bon Jovi's personal recording studio. We went there to record songs for our upcoming CD, photo by Mikiodo.)

One-Act Writer/Director Edward Mawere Invites You To His Show

Edward Mawere has written and directed "Mendacity," Starring

Noah Cornman, Carl Danielsen, Keira Naughton, and Emily Whyte.

Shows will be on Friday, December 12th (8pm)
& December 13th (2pm & 8pm).

Reserve tickets by calling (212) 414-9696 or e-mail moreinfo@ourtimetheatre.org

Our Time Helps to Educate Future Speech Language Pathologists on Stuttering

Taro Alexander, Our Time company members, and alumni attended an NYU speech language pathology graduate class taught by Professor and Friends Director Lee Caggiano to share their personal experiences as people who stutter with future speech language pathologists (SLPs). Our Time has worked closely with Ms. Caggiano to help spread understanding about stuttering and the importance of confidence and self-acceptance in people who struggle with this communicative disorder.

Here are some photos from this special day:

Taro Alexander, Our Time Company Members & Alumni, and Lee Caggiano with Students from NYU's Speech Language Graduate Program

Andre, Angelina, Taro Alexander, & Ashlee

Lee Caggiano & Taro Alexander

Andre With SLP Grad Students

Remembering a Breakthrough Moment

Ned and Taro enjoying a rainy moment at Camp Our Time, 2008

Our Time company members experience breakthrough moments all the time, and we're proud of their ever-growing bravery, strength, and confidence in themselves.

Last year, Teen member Ned began to confront his phobia of the rain by writing a beautiful, moving one-act play called "Anxiety" that was performed at the Cherry Lane Theatre. Then, almost one year later, Ned squashed his remaining fears by standing arms open with a big smile on his face in the pouring rain at Camp Our Time. In the photo above, you can just see the pride in Taro's face during this magical moment of personal breakthrough.

Tim Rocks the Studio!

Tim in the Studio from Taro Alexander on Vimeo.

Three weeks ago the Our Time kids went into a recording studio to lay down some tracks for our upcoming CD. Here is a very short video of Tim rockin' the house. Stay tuned for more info. on this exciting project where the Our Time kids team up with recording artists and Broadway stars to record their original songs.

Participating artists include: Ann Hampton Callaway, Michael Cerveris, Adriane Lenox, Jesse L. Martin, Kelli O'Hara, Adam Pascal, Mandy Patinkin, Anthony Rapp, Daphne Rubin-Vega, Sherie Rene Scott, Duncan Sheik, Mary Testa, and cast members from Spring Awakening, Blue Man Group, and The Little Mermaid.

The Our Time Questions with Jonathan Greig

Periodically, we will interview members of the Our Time and Camp Our Time family (company members, alumni, the board, volunteers, staff, donors, parents, campers, counselors, etc.) by asking them the same 20 questions. Which will now be known as THE OUR TIME QUESTIONS.

Our first interview is with Our Time alumnus, Jonathan Greig. Jonathan was a company member for 6 years (2002-2008). He joined Our Time at age 11 and is now in his Freshman year at Dartmouth College.

1. Favorite Food: Rice.  “White rice heals all wounds”

2. Favorite thing about Our Time: Our Time is a place where you can let go of your inhibitions and let you imagination run free. Gone are the social constraints and fears of ridicule. You are free to be who you are. For me specifically, Our Time became a place where I could let out everything I had hidden inside. For so long I kept everything inside; from fears to dreams, everything stayed trapped in my heart, locked in by my stutter. Our Time allowed me to break this lock and let everything out.

3. Favorite place I’ve been: Jamaica

4. Place I’ve always wanted to go: South Africa

5. Favorite Movie: Do The Right Thing by Spike Lee

6. If you were trapped on an island for three years, and you could only listen to one recording artist, who would it be: Stevie Wonder

7. Mac or PC: PC

8. Chocolate or Vanilla: Chocolate

9. Cats or Dogs: Dogs

10. Favorite Our Time moment: Performing “Our Time Made Us LOUD” with Keith and Andre. I could not have wished for a better last Gala performance than that. Just being onstage with my two best friends and seeing the crowd rock to our song was amazing. I’ve never been as happy and amped up as I was during that song. It was just amazing.

11. What do you want to be when you grow up: I don’t know.

12. Who would play you in a movie: A young James Earl Jones

13. Favorite Book: A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah

14. Favorite sports team: It’s a tie between the Jets and the Knicks

15. What advice do you have for people who stutter: Don’t let it hold you down. Look at it as something that you have to deal with but that shouldn’t stop you from achieving something you want to achieve. It isn’t a dead end. It’s just a temporary roadblock.

16. What advice do you have for people who don’t stutter: Just listen. It’s that simple. You just give the person the time to speak and just worry about what the person is saying not how the person is saying it. Then you’ll be golden. That even goes for people who don’t stutter. They should do it for everyone.

17. Favorite TV Show: A toss-up between Cosby Show and 24

18. Favorite Play or Musical: That’s also a toss-up between The Lion King and Thurgood

19. If you were President, what would your first official act be: I would make an effort to end all wars and I would institute free health care

20. Where do you see Our Time in 10 years: I see Our Time continuing and achieving its goal of spreading awareness about stuttering, as well as just spreading a message of overall tolerance and love and still rocking out in Kingsley and Cherry Lane.

Thank You for Donating to Our Time's Fall Appeal

a standing ovation for the campers at Camp Our Time, 2008

As the economy falters, funding from foundations, corporations, and the government is hard to come by. For small nonprofit organizations like Our Time, this poses a challenge as we rely on every dollar of funding to continue our important work. And while the economy may fluctuate, the need for Our Time's programming remains the same.

In October 2008, Our Time began its Fall Appeal Campaign to fundraise for the organization's 8th season of programming, and it's not too late to participate. To those of you who already contributed to this crucial campaign, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!

If you have not yet supported the campaign but would like to, please click here to donate. Words cannot express the gratitude we feel for each and every contribution.

Thank you for making this 8th season possible!